Justin Allgaier Wins Chicago Xfinity Race

by Ron Fleshman with John Davison

Nam Y. Hua/AP Photo

JOLIET, IL - RIS - Justin Allgaier won his second NASCAR Xfinity race of the seasonon Saturday at Chicagoland Speedway. Allgaier pulled away off the final restart. JR Motorsports had a banner day, with Allgaier's win and the official coronation of Elliott Sadler's regular-season championship. It was a homecoming or sorts for the driver of the No.7 Camaro. He hails from a nearby town and his sponsor is based in the area, too.

"This is a race track I've loved dearly for a number of years," Allgaier said. "The whole connection of being from Illinois and getting to go to victory lane was incredible."

William Byron and Michael Annett give JR Motorsports four drivers in the Xfinity Series playoffs. Byron, who will replace Kasey Kahne in the No. 5 car next year at Hendrick Motorsports, enters the postseason as the points leader.

"If we have the opportunity to compete against each other at Homestead, once the green flag drops, it's every man for himself," car owner Dale Earnhardt Jr. said.

Byron has three wins this season and should be the driver to beat in the seven-race postseason. But his No. 9 Chevrolet battled transmission issues, and he finished 33rd. Earnhardt said he wasn't picking a favorite among his championship drivers.

"These guys work really well together," Earnhardt said. "The crew chiefs all have a close relationship that goes beyond JR Motorsports. I think that's why we're so successful because of the way they work together."

Cup regular Kyle Larson was second at Chicagoland.

"I was too loose to keep pace," Larson said.

The 42-year-old Sadler has finished second in the final standings three times over an Xfinity career that dates to 1995. He thought he had the car to beat headed into last year's season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway -- until his crew chief was suspended for the race. Daniel Suarez then became NASCAR's first Mexican champion.

"I felt like last year, my team was primed and ready to go," Sadler said. "Then we lost our crew chief for Homestead, and that made it a lot harder to try and be as competitive. I think the difference is to make sure we get through the playoff with no mistakes, no issues."

Erik Jones started from the pole, led 94 laps and was in position to win the race until he was penalized for changing lanes before he reached the start-finish line with seven laps left in the race. Jones finished 18th. Jones was guilty of a controversial move that sent Ryan blaney, driving the Team Penske Mustang, to an early exit when he collided with the No. 22 on the track. That incident also involved Custer, who had run in the top four all day. Blaney finished 26th on the afternoon